Fracas in Assembly, BJP MLA suspended

JAIPUR: The state assembly witnessed unprecedented chaos on Thursday with marshals having to be called in after a BJP MLA levelled corruption charges against the government. After a war of words, BJP MLA Hanuman Beniwal was suspended for the entire budget session.
The issue began during Zero Hour when Beniwal, who represents Khinvsar in Nagaur, claimed that there was corruption in granting liquor licences in the state.He made certain remarks against the government which chairperson Surendra Singh Jadawat expunged. Jadawat was officiating in the absence of speaker Deependra Singh Shekhawat.
Home minister Shanti Dariwal, who also holds parliamentary affairs, objected to the charges. “This is not the first time that the BJP MLA has done this. He has been laying charges against ministers without prior notice or concrete proof. It cannot be allowed,” said Dhariwal.
This triggered a war of words between the legislator and the minister. While Beniwal demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter, Dhariwal demanded that Beniwal come with proof on the charges he made.
What followed was a high-voltage drama with Beniwal accusing the home minister of trying to suppress his voice. “I am not afraid of you,” he told Dhariwal. The minister responded, saying, “Neither am I afraid of you.” The argument led to a visibly angry Beniwal rushing to the well, pointing fingers at the home minister and challenging him to fight it out in the well of the House.
Beniwal’s action created an uproar in the Congress camp with the members rushing to the well, demanding immediate action against him. They raised slogans against Beniwal, demanding that he be suspended and asked to leave the House. Though senior BJP MLAs including deputy leader of opposition Ghanshyam Tiwari and chief whip Rajendra Rathore tried to pacify Beniwal and send him back to his seat, it was a case of too little, too late.
The treasury benches told the chairperson that they would not allow the proceedings of the House to continue till action was taken against the BJP legislator. A number of Congress members, who were not present in the House, too rushed in. This included transport minister Brij Kishore Sharma, who was the target of Beniwal’s attack earlier this week.
Tiwari assured the House that such actions would not be repeated but the treasury benches were in no mood for a compromise. They insisted on an action against the BJP legislator, following which the House was adjourned thrice.
When the House assembled again, Congress chief whip Virendra Beniwal moved a motion for suspension of Hanuman Beniwal, which was passed in the House.
Upset over Beniwal’s suspension, the Opposition rushed to the well, raising slogans against ‘corrupt’ ministers and the government, even as the chairperson completed the daily proceedings.
‘Suspension undemocratic’, P 3